Anything But Boats Invited To River Race

For the past couple of years, a Newington team has been unable to keep their heads above water in the homemade boat contest at the annual Riverfront Recapture festival.

You would think the group would quit.

Actually, they are quite proud of their achievements.

"We deliberately name our entries after water mishaps," said Larry Jensen, spokesman for the team from Newington Children's Hospital. "We like to spoof them."

They've entered such offerings as Hexxon Valdez, Davey Jones' Locker and Oceanos in a contest organized annually by radio station WKSS-FM and Riverfront Recapture.

It is just one of the 20 teams entering this year's Anything That Floats River Race Saturday at the nonprofit organization's annual festival at Riverside Park in Hartford.

Last year, Jensen's team built the Hexxon Valdez and a crew member with a yachting cap sat at the stern on a lounge chair with a cardboard bottle of Jack Daniel's at his side.

The crew captured the coveted "Titanic Award" because their craft sank gloriously.

Thomas Hanley, spokesman for Newington Children's Hospital, said that the team members are actually skilled craftspeople; they make artificial limbs and braces for patients at the hospital. For the past two years, Riverfront Recapture has required that boat entries be made of cardboard.

This year, Craig D. Mergins, Riverfront program manager, said his agency has expanded the cardboard contest to anything that isn't an existing watercraft.

The rules "allow anything that never really was a boat," said James R. Munsie, a Riverfront Recapture volunteer.

Mergins said he's also expecting offerings from Meineke Discount Muffler in New London and Stone Container Corp. of Portland.

The entries will compete against Riverfront Recapture's own craft: an inner tube covered by a piece of plywood painted green with a palm tree stuck in the middle.

Entrants will try to speed -- or just last -- to the end of a 200-yard triangular course.

The daylong festivities will begin with an early morning bass tournament. Later in the day -- at 9 a.m. -- a Riverfront Rowing Reggata is scheduled, with competitors coming from as far away as Chicago.

The boating antics start at 3 p.m., but the festival is open all day and features hayrides, magic shows, a festival stage with entertainment, face-painting, clowns and food vendors.

The festival is free, but there is a $10 entry fee for the Anything That Floats River Race. Free parking and shuttle service is available starting at 10:30 a.m. at the SNET parking lot on Weston Street. Or people may park and walk using the handicapped-accessible overpass leading into the park. Parking is also available for $1 on the corner of Market and Pequot streets.